


Home's not merely Roof and Room

by undercat



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Pre-ship, Second Age, accessibility and cultural accomodations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-23 20:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16625873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/undercat/pseuds/undercat
Summary: After the War of the Elves and Sauron, Elrond and Celebrían talk of how to make Imladris a place of welcome for all kindreds.





	Home's not merely Roof and Room

Celebrían had just returned from a scouting party when Elrond first showed her his plans for Imladris.

She ran across him on her way to the pools they used as a bath. “Lord Elrond!” Celebrían cried, and watched him frown.

“Just Elrond,” he corrected. “'Master' Elrond one day perhaps. Or 'commander',” he added, looking ruefully at the sword Celebrían still had hanging on her side, the quiver on her back. He met her eyes, and Celebrían saw they both thought of the hidden guards and careful patrols, the spells of secrecy that Celebrían's mother had carefully laid over the cleft, the art of Melian protecting Melian's scion.

But the siege was over, and the war paused, and it would stay paused for many long years – Celebrían had not her mother's gift of Sight, but Elrond did, and he and Galadriel both said they had time, and even had neither spoken, she knew Anna- _Sauron_ would need to rebuild his forces. They were at peace now, and here in Imladris she heard the Bruinen splashing over the rocks, smelled the blooming lilac next to them: it dappled the sunlight dancing over Elrond.

So she laughed and answered his thoughts, not his words. “We have time. The world is fair, and not least this valley; my heart tells me you will make it fairer still. I know you have thought of it: show me your plans for this Imladris of yours!”

He smiled broadly. “They're in my study. Perhaps -” he looked at the sky: it was near midday. “Perhaps after supper? Erestor wants to speak to me - he's staying and has named himself my steward – and I would not wish to keep you from refreshing after your travels.”

She wrinkled her nose. “You _can_ say I stink, you know. But yes, just after sun-down?”

Elrond smiled again at her, eyes bright and pleased.

 

~~~

 

They met in his bedroom, which was large enough to serve also as his study, and he laid out his sketches and design notes on the large desk. There were no drafted plans, she noted, and the measurements of the valley were in a different hand.

“I'm no architect,” he told her, “and at any rate, I will not live here alone – this will be a work of many hands and minds.”

She murmured in response, looking now at the drawings. There were many words and lists in the margins – Elrond must have a habit of taking notes on his own work. Some were practical: what percentage of the orchard should be given to apple trees, how many horses the stables should have capacity for, what stores to be laid and where. Others were on beauty: a rough sketch of a floor mosaic and what colors he thought would look fine in the light of both sun and moon, whether or not the iron supports for the greenhouse windows should be coated with copper patinaed in blues and purples or greens and browns, where bells and singing chimes should be placed. He was no artist, she knew, but like all their kind he had a sense for beauty, and a deep appreciation of it.

There too were several pages on how to accommodate the needs of the injured and those of aged mortals – a note to ask what the best angle was for the ramps for wheeled chairs, another on what the radius of the star and wind tower would need to be to include both stairs and a lift.

She pointed to a page where he had apparently debated with himself whether or not to have buildings set aside for the use of Men: she wondered if he had neglected some of the practicalities. “It would make more sense to have at least one building for mortals entirely, unless you're planning on the entire complex having hypocausts and heated water? Aren't they more sensitive to the cold? And it will affect the furnaces and plumbing designs.”

“I had thought to heat all the buildings,” he said. “But I want to balance the welcome we will give with the desire of some of my mortal kin to have a place of their own.”

Celebrían shrugged, paging through more papers. She had never spent much time with Men and did not know their desires, but supposed she would like to have other Eldar close by if she dwelt in a mortal city. But: “I noticed you don't have a similar place for the Dwarves? If nothing else, they prefer low ceilings in their sleeping rooms, and beds smaller and harder than we use, though if it is structurally possible, underground quarters would be better.”

Elrond paused, then smiled sweetly at her. “I wanted to show you this regardless, but now I see I was also wise to do so, for I would not have thought of the children of Aule. You must tell me more on what we can do to best welcome them.”

 

~~~

 

Some decades later, Celebrían returned to Imladris. When she had led her party through the hidden, winding passage – _it is me, Celebrían daughter of Celeborn. All is well,_ she thought to the guards, who were unseeable even to her eyes – she gasped and then grinned to see the sight before her. She had been away for many years, and now Imladris was splendid and beautiful; the land was well. The Bruinen grumbled at her, but happily, and the rocks themselves sang to her in joy. She stifled a pang of grief at their welcome, at the loss of her own city, whose well-loved stones now lay in ruins: Imladris was fair too.

She turned to the Dwarf standing beside her, waving her hand at the view before them. “Rivendell, Master Bróin! And a bed and a hot meal too.”

His eyes were bright, his face approving. “Airier than my taste, but well-constructed. And I won't say no to a meal that's not cooked on a camp fire.”

Celebrían laughed. The buildings _were_ airy, with many windows and balconies, and railed bridges between high towers: they looked fragile, as if they could blow away like a leaf in a strong wind. But the angles and arches were well calculated, and mighty spells of strength had been sung into them. They were made of a pale gray stone, but glittered with precious metals and gems carved in clever lines into the walls.

“Don't fuss,” she told Bróin. “You won't have to sleep in a tower exposed to the stars. We built underground rooms, if they are more to your preference. And if there is aught missing, or things ill-done, please tell us.”

He huffed in amusement. “At your command, my friend, I will certainly do so!”

Celebrían smiled at Bróin. “Our people have been allies, and, better still, friends. I would have it remain so.”

They descended into the valley. It was fading into twilight at the foot of the cleft, for the sun's light was blocked by the cliffs; lanterns in many colors were being lit, glimmering on the columns of opal and nacre from Lindon, encased in transparent lacquer: they would hold up a coated fabric roof were it to rain, but the sky was clear now, still a bright blue.

Elrond met them at the landing and bowed to them, deep and respectful. “Be welcome to Imladris, Master Bróin, and welcome to all your company. I greet you in friendship.”

 _And welcome to you, Celebrían!_ he thought to her. _I have so much to show you!_

Bróin bowed in turn, solemn. “King Durin sends his own greetings, as do all the people of Hadhodrond. Know that we too will welcome you to our halls.”

Elrond nodded. “It warms my heart to hear your words. The Hadhodrim will always be welcome in this valley: this is a place for all who come in good will.”

Celebrían's heart was warm too. She smiled at Elrond, and watched his eyes brighten with happiness.

 

~~~

 

On Tol Eressea, Celebrían sighed and put down the blueprints for her house. She would never see Dwarf nor Mortal again: there were no need for such considerations in Aman.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Slight AU, as Celebrían refers to Ost-in-Edhil as her city: it is my firm head-canon that it was Celebrían, and not Celeborn, who stayed in Eregion after Galadriel left.


End file.
